Portaikos Bridge Explained

Portaikos Bridge
Native Name:Γεφύρι της Πύλης
Native Name Lang:el
Carries:Pedestrian (footbridge)
Material:Stone
Length:65m (213feet)
Width:2.1m (06.9feet)
Mainspan:29m (95feet)
Coordinates:39.4606°N 21.4339°W

The Portaikos Bridge (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Γέφυρα Πορταϊκού) is an Ottoman-era stone bridge over the in the Trikala Prefecture, Thessaly, Greece.

The bridge is located on the 22nd kilometer of the TrikalaArta national road, near the village of Pyli. It was built in 1514 by the Metropolitan of Larissa, Saint Bessarion, and until 1936 it was the only way connecting the Thessalian plain with the settlements of the Pindus mountain chain, through the nearby Porta pass. It remains the second largest pre-20th century bridge in Thessaly to this day.[1]

The bridge consists of a single semi-circular arch with a span of 29 m and features a deck 2.1 m-wide.[2] The bridge is built of rubble masonry except for the ledge, which is built of hewn sandstone. The bridge retains its original form except for maintenance work over the years, which has included the reconstruction of the parapet.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Γέφυρα Πορταϊκού: Περιγραφή . Lazaros Deriziotis . Greek . Hellenic Ministry of Culture . 19 June 2016.
  2. Web site: Γεφύρι Της Πύλης ή Της Πόρτας . Greek . Πέτρινα Γεφύρια της Ελλάδας . 6 February 2022.